![]() If anyone in the house has never heard “Lift Every Voice and Sing”-affectionately referred to as “the Black National Anthem”-hers is the perfect introduction to it. Weston clutches the microphone, her cappuccino-colored skin glazed by the midday sunlight. Jackson capitalizes on the euphoria of the moment to take the people even higher: “Sister Kim Weston,” he announces, “The Black National Anthem.” Jesse Jackson ignites the crowd with his signature call-and-response recitation of “I Am Somebody.” By its final lines, thousands of fists are raised in the air in a solidarity salute to Black power. On the stage, erected in the center of the field just hours after a home game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Oakland Raiders the night before, Rev. It is reportedly the largest gathering of African Americans since the 1963 March on Washington and even before the music performances begin, it is living art. By the time everyone is seated, more than 112,000 spectators, most of them African American Los Angeleans-dancing teenagers, multi-generational families, gang members, blue-collar workers anticipating a day of fun before the start of a new work week-people the rows with a range of brown complexions. It is Sunday, August 20, 1972, the afternoon of the storied Wattstax concert, a seven-year community commemoration following the 1965 Watts neighborhood uprising against police brutality and systemic discrimination.Īttendees laugh, joke and jostle through the stadium’s classically domed entryways, some with $1 tickets in hand, others admitted for free depending on what they can afford. ![]() With faith in God and what America can be, they will take to the Super Bowl stage singing these words: “Let us march on to victory is won.The air inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is electric with collective Black joy. “It’s a song of hope and represents the people that are playing and I think it’s befitting,” Tina Campbell added. And like Tina was saying, we are people of faith and this is a song of hope and hope never dies.” “I think the lyrics and the intent in the song is still there no matter their reason for having it. “I don’t think it takes away from the power of the song,” Erica Campbell explained. Though for Erica and Tina Campbell, it doesn’t change their purpose. There are detractors who say the league promotes unity with performances like the one Mary Mary will give Sunday but does not act on it in business practices. Is there another thing that we can do to make sure we’re attracting that best talent here in making our league inclusive? If I had the answer right now, I would give it to you.” LA Super Bowl events to feature Drake, Bieber, XLVI champion.Mickey Guyton to sing national anthem at Super Bowl LVI.SoFi Stadium ready to bring Hollywood opulence to Super Bowl.More than 8,200 short-term rentals in Los Angeles booked for Super Bowl.“We just have to do a better job,” Goodell said. Coming on the heels on Brian Flores’s lawsuit against the league, alleging racism in hiring practices. ![]() Their performance comes at a time where commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL are once again facing questions about their track record on diversity. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, so we’re honored to be singing this song in honor of being a Black woman in this country,” Erica Campbell said. “We have ridden bikes and walked around, going to school, first jobs, favorite restaurants and everything where the stadium is,” she said.Įrica Campbell said the song is more important than ever, with the nation still unhealed from the racial tensions lingering from the very beginning. For Tina Campbell, its life come full circle. The Campbells comprise the legendary gospel duo Mary Mary, and they’ll be belting out “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black national anthem, before the start of Super Bowl LVI on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. Inglewood natives, Erica and Tina Campbell, never imagined they would be headliners for television’s most watched event.
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